Sora Bundled Satcom System Bows
International Communications Group (ICG) has partnered with Cobham to develop a bundled Iridium and Inmarsat SwiftBroadband satellite communications system

International Communications Group (ICG) has partnered with Cobham to develop a bundled Iridium and Inmarsat SwiftBroadband satellite communications system called Sora. The product is touted as a lighter, smaller and less expensive alternative to a competing system from Aircell and Danish satcom maker Thrane & Thrane. Sora will combine an ICG ICS 220A Iridium satcom system with Cobham’s SDU 7320 SwiftBroadband terminal and IGA 4001 intermediate-gain antenna. The two systems will be linked by an ICG NxtMail server that hosts software to switch automatically between the satcom links as needed. The list price of $164,000 is about 20 percent lower than that of the competing system, said ICG v-p Jeff Saucedo. Sora can be installed in business jets as small as the Gulfstream G150.